


Personal Goals

by BoyGirlBothNoneImTheUniverse



Series: Bleach Time Travel One-Shots [5]
Category: Bleach
Genre: Aizen Sousuke Wins, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Drabble, F/M, M/M, Male-Female Friendship, Pining, Time Travel, Time Travel Fix-It
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-12-14
Updated: 2018-12-14
Packaged: 2019-09-18 04:05:22
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,081
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16987728
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/BoyGirlBothNoneImTheUniverse/pseuds/BoyGirlBothNoneImTheUniverse
Summary: Orihime shifts next to him, her breath catching in her throat, as Ichigo finally registers the Garganta opening across town. He holds his breath as well, hope surging forward. It could be either of them, was there any reason to hope—





	Personal Goals

**Author's Note:**

> i cant tell u why every idea i have is time travel, but *shrugs*
> 
> have a change of pace in which aizen isnt sent back lol

Orihimie’s hand is warm in his, burning against his clammy skin. They are gripping onto each other, their hands tight enough to hurt. Ichigo hasn’t opened his eyes yet, his stomach too nauseous at the idea of what he would see when he finally gives into the urge to look around. His heart is beating quickly, and he can feel Orihime’s pulse from their joined hands. It’s when she lets out a little gasp, quickly followed by a choked, “ _Ichigo_ ,” that he forces himself to open his eyes.

Karakura Town stands before them, whole and bursting with life. Ichigo had been ignoring his other senses when his eyes were closed but he can now sense the people moving about their day. He isn’t the best at sensing reiatsu, but he pushes himself to search for them and—there. Karin and Yuzu’s signatures are off in the direction Ichigo knows his house is standing. It drags a relieved sob out of his own throat and then he’s clutching Orihime to him, their combined cries muffled by the other person.

Orihime is the one that gets herself together first, pulling back slightly to stare down at the city once more. She keeps one hand in his though, squeezing down tightly in both the need to provide comfort and the desire to receive it herself.

It’s been years since Ichigo has seen Karakura Town in one piece and the sight is a welcome one. He can sense his sisters, who have been dead almost as long, and he feels like he can breathe again for the first time in forever. He feels a spike of reiatsu in the distance and he can’t hold back a teary smile as Rukia’s presence is made known.

“They’re all alive,” Orihime says in wonder, her voice just as teary and wet as Ichigo’s face feels.

They weren’t certain how far back they would go, only fueled on desperation and hope. There weren’t enough of them left to mess around with possibilities, only the certainty that someone had to take the risk. With Orihime’s ability to reject reality itself and Ichigo’s unbelievable store of reiatsu, they had given their last goodbyes to their remaining comrades before being thrown back in time. To feel signatures that belong to people Ichigo knows are long dead in the future is indescribable.

Orihime shifts next to him, her breath catching in her throat, as Ichigo finally registers the Garganta opening across town. He holds his breath as well, hope surging forward. It could be either of them, was there any reason to hope—

Ichigo almost crushes Orihime’s hand when he senses the violent reiatsu that haunts his dreams. He’s suddenly remembering aquamarine hair and slanted cat-like eyes. He can picture him now as he was right before death, infuriating smirk ever-present as he bleeds from the hole Aizen created in his chest. That image is erased when he feels it flare out, ever searching for an acceptable challenger to face him.

“Grimmjow,” Ichigo finally says, tasting the name on his tongue. He hasn’t said it in almost ten years, the ex-espada’s death far too painful to deal with. Saying it again, and being able to feel that once lost reiatsu, is like Ichigo has had new life blown into his core.

Orihime doesn’t complain about the stranglehold he has on her hand, just squeezes back in comfort. She is smiling sadly, happy for Ichigo that he can sense Grimmjow, but sad because she knows she is still left waiting. Ulquiorra won’t appear until a few days after Ichigo faces off against Grimmjow, after all. She has missed his first visit and now must wait until his second to once again see the person who she clings to in her own dreams.

It had made them feel weak and pathetic, constantly pining after two who had died to early in the war. Ulquiorra by Ichigo’s own hand. Orihime assured him regularly that she didn’t blame him, that the Cuatro Espada had made his own choice to fight Ichigo past his limits, but it didn’t relieve any of the guilt he held over the others’ death. Orihime had welcomes him with open arms when he had searched for her after Grimmjow’s own demise. They had become partners in their silent mourning during the war, both melancholic over lost dreams of what might’ve been.

 _Now, though_ , Ichigo thinks with slowly building delight, _there is no lost dream to mourn_. Instead, their mission is clearly in front of them. They came back to beat Aizen, to kill the man before he has the chance to make himself immortal and throw the three worlds into a constant state of war. Along with the mission, however, they both have their own personal goals. Orihime, Ichigo knows, is determined to get captured once more. They discussed it, briefly, back before they were sent to the past. She didn’t tell the others about it, but she told Ichigo point blank that she needed to be taken once more.

Orihime mourned Ulquiorra far longer than Ichigo had the chance to mourn Grimmjow, so he doesn’t deny her her request. She will go with the Espada once more and she will use her foreknowledge to bond with Ulquiorra far quicker than she did last time. He will not be on his death bed when he finally reaches out to her.

Ichigo, on the other hand, will duke it out with Grimmjow just as he did in the past. He will fight Grimmjow and beat him the first time around, gaining the Sexta Espada’s respect and attention. Ichigo knows Grimmjow’s buttons, knows that the Espada doesn’t stay a part of Aizen’s ranks due to loyalty, so he will use that to his advantage. He will get Grimmjow away from Aizen faster than he did last time, will make sure Grimmjow can still fight instead of being handicapped like he was in the future. Ichigo will protect his family and Grimmjow this time.

They need to make their way to their younger selves, sooner rather than later if what Ichigo’s senses are telling him is true, and then merge with them. Their souls are older, more settled, and they will easily overcome their younger counterparts. They will enact their plan and complete their mission with deranged glee and vicious certainty. For now, though, Ichigo stays by Orihime’s side, their hands now lightly clasped instead of bruisingly tight.

Orihime’s hand is warm and so is Ichigo’s.

**Author's Note:**

> i got this idea like 5 minutes after finishing change; and like i couldnt sit there and write 10k for this, but a small drabble? totally.


End file.
